四旬期喜樂主日，乙年
主題：菁英主義
在起初，基督信仰承受著不同的磨難，逐漸壯大起來。教會在享受和平的時候，反而變成腐敗。難道人真是賤骨頭，「生於憂患，死於安樂」嗎？耶穌基督是猶太人，嚴格地說，第一代信徒全部都是猶太人。（雖然十字架下的羅馬百夫長曾經宣信，但福音沒有他跟隨主耶穌的紀錄。）猶太人相信惟一真神，基督徒卻相信一個木匠是天主子。因此在猶太人眼中，這些猶太人基督徒是分裂猶太教的叛徒，所以歸化前的保祿，熱切地掃蕩基督徒。
另一方面，在羅馬帝國眼中，這些拒絕向羅馬眾神獻祭的基督徒是「無神論者」，是戰敗和疫症的最佳「代罪羔羊」，可以把人民對統治者的忿怒，轉嫁到他們身上！蒙天主的護祐，基督徒以「家庭教會」、「地下教會」的形式，走過艱難的歲月，在君士坦丁凱撒統治時，終於可以享有宗教信仰的自由，不受干擾地公開表達他們的信仰。 基督徒在自由交換經驗的日子，發現了不少基本信條上的分歧。這些神學上分歧的觀點，各有擁護者，足以分裂教會！君士坦丁為了防範未然，在公元325年召開尼西亞大公會議。不錯，教會的大公會議是羅馬帝國的皇帝召開的。所以說「政教分離」的人，是生活在空中樓閣，不在人類的歷史中！當時教會急於處理的神學問題，就是「天主子是否天主」，即「三位一體」的問題！在牧民問題上，要決定「復活節」在哪一天。尚待處理的問題是如何接納教難時背教的信徒及神職人員問題…基督信仰開始系統化了。
不要以為問題可以斬釘截鐵地解決，因為有些分裂的思想，會陰魂不散，在往後的世代，以新的面貎出現！例如「白拉奇主義」。教宗方濟各在2018年發表的《你們要歡喜踴躍》宗座勸諭，便指出它是兩個「導致我們誤入歧途的錯誤成聖觀念」之一。它「以人為中心的內在論，但偽裝為天主教信仰的真理…專制式的菁英主義…」（GE#35）
「自食其力」無疑是一種美德，《箴言》以「腰纏萬貫」勸導人勤勞（箴12:27）；保祿宗徒傳福音時，亦堅持勤勞地操作，免得加重任何信徒的負擔（得前2:9；得後3:8），立下了令人肅然起敬的榜樣，天主肯定欣賞這種勤奮的態度。可是，在有關成義得救方面，人是沒有能力自救的。簡單地說，我們每個人祇有一條生命。試問那些殺死了超過一個人，令超過一個人殘廢的兇手，有甚麼能力償還他們的罪債呢？所以，我們的得救，是出於天主的恩寵，不是出自個人的努力。正如今天的第二篇讀經所說：「因為你們得救是由於恩寵，藉著信德，所以得救並不是出於你們自己，而是天主的恩惠；不是出於功行，免得有人自誇。」（弗2:8-9）可是，人始終念念不忘自己的努力，從興建巴貝耳塔（創11:4）到回頭的蕩子（路15:19），都希望以成就來肯定自己的地位；從禁食的爭論（谷2:18）到法利塞人與稅吏祈禱的比喻（路18:11-12），人始終喜歡以所做到的事，互相比較！因此，「白拉奇主義」便有市場了。在第五世紀，他們相信原罪並沒有完全傷害了人性，即使沒有恩寵，人憑意志和努力，也可以滿足天主要求我們所做的事，而天主絕不會要求我們做不可能的事。是聖奧思定駁斥了「白拉奇主義」的錯謬。但「白拉奇主義」是不會這樣輕易消失的，因為人歡喜互相比較，這就是教宗方濟各提及的「專制式的菁英主義」了。
「恩寵」與「善行」之間的爭論，並沒有因保祿和雅各伯的書信得到解決，聖奧思定也未能杜絕「白拉奇主義」，今天仍陰魂不散地，以神職主義、菁英主義、種族主義和白人優越主義等，在教會內和社會上揮之不去。很明顯，各執一端解決不了問題，平衡兩者纔是出路。即使不用雅各伯的名句：「信德沒有行為也是死的」（雅2:26），保祿根本沒有排除善行：「惟有以愛德行事的信德，纔算甚麼。」（迦5:6）很明顯，恩寵與善行，是走天國之路的兩條腿，缺一不可。因此，堅持「惟獨XX」是行不通的。況且，五個「惟獨」，已經不是「獨一無二」，豈不是自打嘴巴嗎？游手好閒，不與天主合作，恩寵祇會白費；沒有真理和愛，善行亦祇會變成「白拉奇主義/菁英主義」！
各位兄弟姊妹，今天是四旬期的「喜樂主日」。在這疫症全球肆虐，世界各地的民主遭受打壓的艱難時刻，有甚麼值得喜樂呢？
天父是慈悲的，祂不願看見罪人喪亡。但祂尊重祂賜給我們的自由意志，不會強迫我們相信耶穌基督，不會要求我們成為精英纔得救，這就是我們值得喜樂的原因之一。當我們相信祂派遣來到世上的聖子，遵行耶穌基督彼此相愛的誡命，守望相助，服務貧困的人，有能力帶給世界小許溫暖，這就是值得喜樂的原因之二。若望說：「審判就在於此：光明來到了世界，世人卻愛黑暗甚於光明…然而履行真理的，卻來就光明，為顯示出他的行為是在天主內完成的。」（若3:19，21）愛德的行為，合符真理，因為天主是愛；我們的善行是在天主內完成的，所以我們不受審判；這就是值得喜樂的原因之三。
喜樂吧，天主保祐！
2018年講道
圖片鳴謝：royalperspectives.com
Laetare Sunday, Year B
Theme: Elitism
In the beginning, Christianity grew amid various persecutions. When the Church had a taste of peace, she corrupted. Is humanity so irreparable that it lives in adversity and dies of comfort?
Jesus Christ was a Jew. Strictly speaking, all the first generation disciples were Jews. (Although the Roman centurion proclaimed his faith under the cross, we do not find records of his following Jesus in the gospels.) Jews believed in one true God but Christians believed a carpenter to be the Son of God. Thus, in the eyes of Jews, these Jewish Christians were heretics. That was why before his conversion, Saul zealously persecuted Christians.On the other hand, in the eyes of the Roman Empire, these Christians were atheists because they refused to offer sacrifice to the Roman deities. They were handy scapegoats for defeats and plagues. People in power could easily avert commoners’ anger and frustration towards rulers to Christians! Thanks to God’s protection, Christians were able to weather through those difficulties in the form of domestic churches and underground churches. At last, in the time of Constantine Caesar, Christians were able to enjoy religious freedom, expressing their faith in public without fear.
When they came together to freely exchange their experiences, they discovered many disagreements among basic articles of faith. Each of those divergent theological opinions had their own supporters, numerous enough to split the Church! To nib schism in the bud, Constantine convened the Nicaea Council in 325 A.D. Yes, the ecumenical council was convened by the Roman Emperor. Those who insist on the separation between state and religion are living in castles in the air and not in human history! The urgent theological business to handle is the question whether the Son of God is God, the Trinity problem! On the pastoral side, they needed to decide the date of Easter. Business on the pipeline was how to deal with apostate believers and clergy who wanted to return to the Church … Christianity began to systematize.
Nothing can be more wrong if we think that these controversies could be settled once and for all. Indeed, these heresies keep coming back in subsequent generations in new disguises! For example, Pelagianism. In his apostolic exhortation “Gaudete et Exultate” issued in 2018, Pope Francis pointed out that it is one of the “two false forms of holiness that can lead us astray”. They “reflect an anthropocentric immanentism disguised as Catholic truth … a narcissistic and authoritarian elitism” (GE#35).
“Enjoying what your hands provide” is without any doubt a virtue. The Book of Proverbs uses “splendid wealth” to advocate the virtue of diligence (Proverbs 12:27). Paul insisted on working night and day while at the same time proclaiming the gospel so as not to burden any of the disciples (1 Thessalonians 2:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:8). He set up a respectable exemplar. God definitely likes this diligent attitude. However, in matters of justification and salvation, men are unable to save themselves. Simply put, we have only one life. How can a murderer who kills or maims more than one person repay his debts? Thus, our salvation comes from God’s grace, not our own efforts. From the second reading today, we have, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9) But how can men forget their labour? From the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:4) to the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:19), men want to affirm their status with their achievements. From the controversy over fasting (Mark 2:18) to the parable of the Pharisee and Publican (Luke 18:11-12), men want to compare their achievements! Thus, Pelagianism has its market. In the fifth century, they believed that the Original Sin had not damaged the human nature. Even without grace, men were able to satisfy God’s demand with their own will and efforts. After all, God would not demand the impossible. St. Augustine refuted Pelagianism. But it refuses to die away easily because men like to compare. This is the authoritarian elitism which Pope Francis mentioned above.
Liturgical reforms aim at encouraging more active participation of the faithful in mass. Then many controversies follow: priests should celebrate masses facing the East and there should be a crucifix on the altar; when saying the Pater Noster in mass, the congregation should not open their arms in the manners of priests; it is impious to receive the Holy Communion in hand and standing, this is not respectful to Jesus Christ; the divorced should be denied the Holy Communion; homosexuals should not be admitted; the Church should condemn violence … These Catholics insist on “justification by their own efforts, the worship of the human will and their own abilities … an obsession with the law, an absorption with social and political advantages, a punctilious concern for the Church’s liturgy, doctrine and prestige, a vanity about the ability to manage practical matters and an excessive concern with programmes of self-help and personal fulfilment.” (GE#57) Even the clergy are not exempted. Pelagianism/Elitism is not the Church’s monopoly. It is not in short supply in the social and political spheres. During the last century, civil servants were elitist graduates. In the future, they will only be patriots of crimson background.
The controversy over grace and good works is not settled by letters from Paul and James. St. Augustine was unable to uproot Pelagianism which persistently emerges again and again within and without the Church in different guises of clericalism, elitism, racism and white supremacy etc. Obviously, taking side is unable to solve the problem. Balancing them is the only exit. Putting aside James’ immortal quote “faith without works is dead” (James 2:16), Paul does not ignore work. Nothing counts, “but only faith working through love” (Galatians 5:6). Obviously, grace and works are the two legs we need to walk to heaven. Missing one of them, the journey will fail. Thus, insisting on “Sola xxx” doesn’t work. Moreover, isn’t it contradictory to have five solae, making them not sola together? Being sloth and does not work with God is a waste of grace. Without truth and love, works would become Pelagianism/Elitism!
Brethren! Today is Laetare Sunday. It is indeed a harsh time when the pandemic is still rampant and democracies all over the world are undergoing oppression. What can make us joyful?
The Father is merciful. He does not want to see sinners perish. But He also honours the free will He grants us and would not force us to believe in Jesus Christ. He would save us even if we don’t become elites. This is the first reason to make us joyful. When we believe in the Son He sent, observe the love each other commandment Jesus Christ gave us, become our brothers’ keepers and are able to serve the needy to make this world a little bit warmer. This is the second reason we can be joyful. John says, “And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light … But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.” (John 3:19, 21) Charity agrees with truth because God is love. Our works are done in God and we are not judged. This is the third reason why should be joyful.
Therefore, rejoice! God bless!
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